Osteria Francescana, officially the world’s best restaurant

A tiny restaurant in Italy tops the World’s 50 Best Restaurants

Move over. There’s a new champion in town and its name is Osteria Francescana. At the annual World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, announced last month in New York City, a tiny, 20-year-old spot in Modena, Italy, claimed the number one spot for the first time. Clocking in at number two last year, chef-owner Massimo Bottura is known for his whimsical takes on traditional Italian ingredients, with dishes like Five Stages of Parmigiano Reggiano, honouring the region’s culinary heritage while displaying a notable artistic bent.

Chef-owner Massimo Buttora

Spin-painted veal at Osteria Francescana

La Parte Croccante Della Lasagna from Osteria Francescana

Tiny, but superlative: Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy

El Celler de Can Roca, last year’s winner, slipped a notch to second place, and the vaunted Noma, which hadn’t been ranked below third since 2009, fell all the way to the fifth slot. New York’s Eleven Madison Park rose to number three, also winning the Art of Hospitality Award. Central, in Lima, Peru, maintained its number four position from last year.